Trader sues Czech diplomat, PDI for libel

by Dharel Placido, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA – A businessman on Wednesday said he has filed a P30 million libel suit against Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar and the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI).

Roehl Bacar, CEO of Comm Builders and Technology Philippines (CB&T), told dzMM that he finds libelous a recent PDI report which quoted Rychtar as saying that CB&T bagged a 6-month contract to maintain the Metro Rail Transit (MRT 3) in October 2012 because of his connections with influential government figures.

The maintenance contract was a joint venture between CB&T and PH Trams. The contract was transferred to the two firms after the contract of Sumitomo expired.

In the report published last April 5, Rychtar said he was told by Manalo Maralit, a certain ''Boyet Bacar'' and ''Mr. P. Rodriguez'' that the joint venture was ''backed by the highest DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) officials and some politicians."